Apple TV with signal now

[jimim]

Hello all. I just noticed on Signal's website that there is an update to allow you to control Apple TV with signal and also select the Apple TV with Airtunes over Signal. This is pretty freakin' cool I think. Signal is starting to branch out to do more and more. I know Apple TV only has TOS output or Analog with it doing the DAC but it's still a cool option if you don't have a separate DAC at this time. It also allows you to take your computer out of your listening area also.

 

This is some thoughts I'm having. The Apple TV has a UBS port. You can hook up a DAC to the USB port and then send your music to whatever preamp or line out you are using. This is a great solution I feel to get your computer out of your listening area if you wish without being at airport expresses mercy.

 

I also talked with Apple for a bit about timecapsule and using it as a hard drive for your files. With a 1000gigs or storage this would also eliminate connecting a hard drive to a basestation to stream it to your library on your computer. A little more direct at least.

 

 

What does everyone think?

 

Jimi

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Unfortunately the Apple TV will only allow you to use a keyboard & mouse in the USB port.

 

You could use the optical audio out even though that is not as good it is still audio out.

 

By the way, you'll want to make sure you're around here on March 1st. We have something in the works with Alloysoft the creator of Signal.

 

[glt]

Yeah, it is also unfortunate that the Apple TV optical out does not support 96Khz/24 bit I did a test with 88.2/24 content and on an iMac optical out, you can play at 96Khz, but the same song transferred to an apple TV, the output through the optical is only 44.1 (I have an the old MSB dac that has LEDs for each frequency that is detected)

 

[jimim]

Chris,

 

Ah that stinks! I talked with one of the guys from Apple last night and they said it could be used for in and out if you wanted to hook a DAC up to it. They are usually pretty good with their info but I guess not this time. Did you actually try this already?

 

So what's going on with Alloysoft?

 

 

 

 

[jimim]

Ok, didn't know this either last night.

 

Ya know I got all excited last night when I read about the Signal update re: Apple TV and now it just got shot down. Ya know Apple is deff moving in the right direction for integration but just not to the quality that we want, but it is a step in the right direction. The future can only be better in my eyes!

 

Jimi

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

It is my understanding that the keyboard and mouse may only work for the diagnostics mentioned below. However, I think the Apple rep you spoke to was misinformed.

 

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304987

 

What does the USB port do on the Apple TV?

 

* Last Modified on: March 22, 2007

 

* Article: 304987

 

The USB port on the back of the Apple TV is only used for service and diagnostics. A USB keyboard, mouse, hard drive, or any other device will not be recognized by Apple TV.

Keywords: ktech katv

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I agree, the future can only get better. The industry is slowly but surely moving in the right direction. Higher quality will be so cool, but I have a feeling our wallets will suffer greatly.

 

I forgot to comment about Signal in my earlier response. I can only say something is in the works and should be hammered out by March 1st. Keep your eyes on Computer Audiophile for further details.

 

[jimim]

But seriously, Chris do you know if I go through HDMI since I will be using my Internal DAC's on the Marantz if I can carry any bitrate of music. ie. 94/24 or higher?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

As a standard HDMI allows 8 channels of 24 bit/192kHz PCM audio. HDMI 1.2 added native support for DSD / SACD.

 

However, it is my understanding the Apple TV up/down converts everything to 16 bit / 44.1 KHz.

 

[lasthemy]

This may be a simple software setting that can be changed on the Apple TV, provided you're willing to use some of the hacks to gain access to it's file system.

 

The 16-bit / 44.1 KHz was a problem also exhibited in iTunes, and it was caused by Apple's Core Audio library having a setting to output all audio with those settings. The solution for iTunes (and Quicktime in general) was to use /Applications/Utilities/Audio MIDI Setup to modify the output sample and bit rates.

 

The Apple TV is based on a reduced version of Mac OS X, so it should use the Core Audio library as well. The application Audio MIDI Setup modifies settings contained within:

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist

That's a binary file, so editing it directly would probably be difficult. However, default settings seem to exist in

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.DeviceSettings.plist; it should be possible to edit them directly to use a sample rate of 96000 and bit rate of 24-bits.

 

I don't have an Apple TV, but I plan on getting one in the next few days. I can try this out once I get it. I have no idea how to determine what the actual output from one of the digital ports is however.

 

Edit: My attempts to modify the sample rate by modifying plists have been thwarted, but another discussion (http://groups.google.com/group/perian-discuss/browse_thread/thread/5ebbb3c184f8945) demonstrates that there is a way to modify the sample rate on the Apple TV. I don't yet know how to run Audio MIDI Setup on the Apple TV however. This is getting into some tricky ground though. Perhaps someone can suggest to Apple that they allow users to change this setting in configuration.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey lasthemy - thanks for the information. I don't think anyone around here has tried the Apple TV hacks yet so you post is much appreciated. I've done some research on the hacks, but without the unit I'm unwilling to tell others what to try. I'd feel terrible if they really screwed things up :-)